The N.B.A. legend and cultural giant LeBron James has been named an honorary chair of the 2025 Met Gala, which will take place in the grand chambers of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. But a few hours before the event, LeBron hopped on the X (aka Twitter) hops with bad news for everyone.
"Unfortunately I will not be attending the Met Gala tonight, which I was so excited to go to because the release of my book #MakingTheCut was announced for the same time as the #MetGala, and I wasn't going to let my long time friend @AnnaWintour down and planned on leaving LA super early and arrived to NYC a day before my #MetBall dress fitting but I developed unbearable pain, so much so that only two days ago I had to do a procedure to drain the fluid in the knee I injured at the end of the season in December, which hindered my physical preparation for the #MetGala. Hate to miss history!" he wrote.
That knee injury, which ESPN revealed to be a Grade 2 MCL sprain, happened during the Lakers' early exit from the playoffs last week. It brought his post-season to a sudden close and put the kibosh on his plans to slip into designer duds for fashion's equivalent of the prom.
The 39-year-old superstar is no stranger to high-profile appearances, but this one bore extra weight. The 2025 Met Gala theme of "Superfine, Tailoring Black Style" focused on Black style, identity, and artistry and was based on Monica L. Miller's groundbreaking 2009 book, "Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity." What could have been a fitting stage for LeBron, who has long advocated for Black excellence on and off the court?
But, true to King James's way, he did ensure that his family, at least, still had a seat at the table. "Savannah will be holding the castle down like she always did!" he added, referring to his wife as a "beautiful, powerful Queen." And true to form, Savannah entered the gala in style and elegance, her regal self.
With LeBron out, the spotlight was on the red carpet, where the hip-hop and fashion worlds smooched explosively. Megan Thee Stallion came with fierce beauty and energy in full force, and Pharrell Williams, with his typical avant-garde flare, co-chair duties. Rap royalty such as Nicki Minaj, André 3000, A$AP Rocky, and Chance the Rapper had everyone talking about styles that served as a poem to the event's tribute to Black style as an art form.
Co-hosts Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, and Anna Wintour ushered in the night with a mix of grace and purpose, and the gala reasserted itself once again as something more than a party, a cultural moment.
If LeBron was gone, he was not forgotten. He's a from-the-culture, in-the-game man, and even on the sidelines, he showed that grace, strength, and style could appear in multiple guises. Cheers to the King, and let's hope for a speedy recovery. Thank you to Savannah for holding court on those Met steps.
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